The Last Year
by esompthin
Summary: AU. Its the last year. Everything's changed. Murder and the undead run freely across Ooo. And what's that thing with the papers? Rated for cursing, gore, character death, and whatever else i throw in. will eventually be a gumlee. probably.
1. Chapter 1

Please don't kill me. And enjoy!

* * *

Bubblegum darts down the hall, eyes shifting to glance down every corridor as she grips her weapon in her hands. Heart pounding, she skids around a corner, hiding from her pursuers.

She sighs in relief, she lost them.

"Bonn-" A hushed voice says from behind her. The girl jumps, twisting around to jab her blade at her attacker. "Shit!" The goth before her jumps back just in time, "Be careful with that thing. God, it's just me."

"That doesn't really make me feel any better, Lee." She pants, seeing the boy before her; Marshall Lee, older brother of her best friend.

"Gee, thanks." The pale boy leans against the wall, his guard up as he glances down the small, dark hall they stand in. "I'll be sure to tell Marcy about that."

She sighs, "Sorry, I thought you were a zombie."

Marshall smiles softly, "Don't worry, you can trust me. How many are left?"

"Alive? I have no idea. My brother, Fionna and Finn are still safe. But others are dying. Fast." Bubblegum says, slowly lowering her small weapon. Marshall smiles, relieved that his friends aren't in any danger.

"Wait, what about Marcy?" He asks suddenly.

Bubblegum lowers her head, "I- I'm so sorry. …They got her. She's… gone." The last word's barely chocked out, almost inaudible.

Marshall staggers backward, holding his suddenly pounding head, "No… No, that can't be. She said she'd be okay. She's strong. And smart. No one would hurt her. No one _could_ hurt her. How could… how?"

A tear forms in the pink-haired girl's eyes, "I'm sorry. I couldn't…. I couldn't save her."

"You were there? Who did it? Who killed my sister?" The boy asks determined, stepping forward to glare down at Bubblegum.

Just as Bubblegum opens her terrified mouth to speak, they hear a noise echoing through the empty hall. A groan. Low. Inhuman.

The two make eye contact, whispering simultaneously, "Zombie."

Marshall shuffles around Bubblegum, gripping his knife tightly as he slowly glances around the corner to the next dark hall. It's a zombie, alright.

It's Lady Rain. She died on the first day of the invasion. She staggers and leans against the wall, her head rolling to the side as she wanders down the hall. Marshall shudders as she stumbles, screeching in a distorted version of Korean.

It's not fair. She was too kind. Too peaceful. She wanted to marry Finn's best friend, Jake, and have a life. A family. It's just…

"Disgusting… That way." Marshall whispers, pointing the opposite direction. "Quickly. Go."

Bubblegum leads the way as Marshall follows, looking over his shoulder to be sure Lady doesn't find them. They slowly make their way to the hideout for the survivors, who's numbers are dwindling every minute. Down two more halls and they'll be free.

But the two come to a screeching halt just twenty feet from their destination. As they turn the corner to their safe haven, they're stopped short at the sight before them. Surrounding their only safety is a dozen of the undead.

They claw hungrily on the door, moaning in pain and hunger. The monsters groan with every movement, shifty eyes glaring daggers into the metal separating them and their next meal. They pound on the door, trying to break into where some of the survivors are staying.

Marshall's horrified. These aren't just dead strangers trying to eat his friends. These are dead friends trying to eat his friends. And that pain is something entirely worse.

Slowly he and Bubblegum sneak back a hall, leaning against the wall in shock.

"What do we do?" She asks quietly, more to herself than to Marshall. She's breathing heavily. She won't be able to last much longer. Bonnie was never meant to be a fighter.

"I dunno."

"Will they be okay?"

"Yeah, sure. The door will hold." He says, then adds quietly, "I hope."

Bubblegum shakes her head urgently, "No. No no no _no_. You don't understand." She stands in front of him, holding onto his black jacket as her knees are shaking too bad to hold her own weight, "I left Marceline in there. She's with them. Marsh, they're going to die! What do we _do_?"

Marshall suddenly turns on her, rage fills his eyes. He slams her against the lockers, making a loud echoing smash. The distant moaning stops for a second.

"You. Did. _What?"_

"Marceline. I left her in the safe room with the survivors. I- I couldn't leave her on her own. She's my best friend. I just couldn't… you've got to understand…" Bubblegum says quickly, her eyes looking around the halls. Her sweaty palms gripped Marshall's wrists, "Marsh, they're going to find us. They're going to hear." She glances in the direction where the zombies were, terrified. Tears fill her eyes and roll down her cheeks as the other holds her against the wall of lockers, trapped. She can hear them. They know. They're coming.

Marshall doesn't flinch as he hears the zombies approaching like a pride of starving lions, screeching happily at the chance for food. He knows the zombies will take their time getting here. They know something will be left.

There's always some leftovers. The living aren't that picky these days.

"Marsh!" She says, her voice growing in concern. They're moving faster now. She can hear their footsteps. Growing. Picking up pace. They can't be far now. She's panicking. She has to get away. She has to live. She can't die from these monsters!

"You left a _zombie_ in the same room as my friends." Marshall hisses, his grip on her tightening painfully.

She screeches slightly in pain. "Y-yes! I tied her up! She's there so you can see her! I was going to get you! That's why I-"

Her next words where cut off as Marshall slides his dagger across her cheek, cutting it slowly. Her eyes widen in horror. "You?" she whispers.

Suddenly it all makes since.

Why would he be out here if not to look for his next victim? The living need food too, after all. He wasn't being friendly. He was tricking her. He knew the zombies where there. That's why he wasn't scared. He's nothing but a…

She openly sobs now, "No! Y-you monster. I can't believe it's you. You tricked me."

Marshall nods slowly, a proud grin stretches across his face, holding up a piece of paper with her name on it, "Yeah, I did. But you made it so easy." He shoves the dagger through her stomach, slicing her quickly. She falls to the floor, dead. Or soon to be. "That's for Marcy."

She won't stay that way for long, Marshall knows. He's also very much aware of the approaching zombies. Quickly searching her body, he finds a piece of scrap paper, similar to his own. Shoving it in his pocket, he drops his old paper next to her dead corpse.

And he runs.

The paper lying next to her slowly turns red with drops of her blood. When the zombies finally make it to the murder scene, they can't help but moan in disappointment. She's already dead.

With a low, murderous moan of hatred, the figure below the mob rejects death, and becomes one of the undead. Her fingers slowly come back to life, reaching forward shakily, they hesitantly grab the paper with only three words written on it.

Bonnibel Bubblegum

Deceased

* * *

So this one's going to be longer than my others. And yes, it will be a gumlee (marball).

If your confused now, just wait til the end. All will be explained. Más o menos.

Anyway, thanks for reading, feedback would be amazing.

Tell me what you think would happen, and I'll see how wrong you are! :D


	2. Chapter 2

The light flickers slowly, catching their attention for a moment. If you were quiet, you might be able to hear the soft footsteps of the monsters in the hall. They roam without fear, for they are what is feared.

"Yes. You could say I was scared that first day." Bubba, also known as Gumball says slowly.

Fiona snickers from across the room, twisting her weapon slowly in her hands, "That's a big understatement, dude. You would've died if not for me."

The boy with pink hair nods but points out, "You had you're close calls too. Didn't one of those ginger Flame siblings nearly get you? Wasn't one of them chasing you and Jake?"

Fiona looks away, mumbling, "Yeah. The boy. But he's dead now, thanks to that." She nods to the zombie tied to a desk in the corner. "She saved us. Her and Bonnie. We ran ahead, while they fought Flame. When Bubblegum caught back up, she had that with her…" The tomboy didn't say anything else. The undead thing before them is dormant, for now, staring blankly at the ground. Finn takes a hesitant step towards it.

"Marceline?" His voice shakes slightly.

The monster's head whips up, the creature springs to life as it tries to grip the human before it. Jake pulls his friend back, both keeping their eyes on the creature. It hisses in hatred as it realizes it may never reach its snack.

"Don't test her. We don't know if the ropes will stay. Or the table." Gumball says, shifting uneasily on his feet. He checks the time, "Bonnie's been gone for a while now. Do you think she's okay?"

"I'm sure she's okay." Fionna says, although she gives Finn a nervous glance once Gumball looks away. Her brother shrugs and sits down with Jake in the far corner, away from Marceline.

Gumball looks back at Cake, who's interviewing everyone, saying that their story will be the awesome adventure ever after they all get out. She'd been writing down everything in excruciating detail.

"Anyway… There's only seven of us left."

"Which are?" The cat-loving girl asks.

"Cake."

"Yeah, I'm still here. And?"

He groans, "Do I have to list them? We're all right here!"

The younger girl looks around the room, "Not _all_."

"Fine. The remaining are, yourself, Finn, Fiona, Jake, Bonnie, Marshall, and myself."

She jots down the names quickly, "And everyone else?"

Marceline screeches from the other side of the room, slumping over the desk, her nails digging ferociously into the wood. The room freezes, waiting until the zombie believes everyone has disappeared. They're attracted by sound and movement. If the group stays still long enough, the creature gives up for a while.

Gumball looks back to Cake, hoarsely mumbling, "Gone."

The room is silent for a few moments. Then Jake says loudly, "This is bunk, man. There's no way we can survive this! We're going to die! This is pointless, hiding like this."

"I'm betting Gumball's next!" Cake says, pointing to the boy before her, "He'll be next to die!"

"Nah," Jake says, patting Finn's shoulder he continues, "I bet it'll be this guy."

"Hey!" Finn pulls away from his best friend.

"What? You get over confident."

Before anyone could say anything else, Marceline screeches bloody murder, causing everyone to hold their ears. The monster stares, wide-eyed at the metal door. There's silence for a split second as everyone glances at each other in pure horror.

And then the pounding starts.

* * *

Sorry that it's so short.


	3. Chapter 3

The monsters kept pounding on the metal. The thunderous smashes don't stop. Marceline in the corner screeches inhuman encouragements at her companions outside. Fiona searches the room quickly, running about frantically.

"Welp, we're doomed." Jake says, sitting on a desk, resting his head on his fist glumly. Fiona shoves a bookshelf out of the way, it tumbles to the ground, crashing loudly. She smiles in relief at what she finds. On the wall, a few feet from the ceiling, is an air vent, just barley big enough to squeeze through.

Finn pulls a desk over to her, helping her set it on the fallen bookshelf. Fiona stands on the desk, while Finn holds it steady for her. She expects the air vent slightly before she turns to her friend, "Cake, give me a bobby pin."

The other girl steps forward, threading the hair utensil out of her dirty blonde curls, and handing it to Fiona. The tomboy is quick at work, unscrewing the nails with the pin. Once the metal plate is free, she hops off the desk and sets the plate down.

"Finny," she points to her brother, "you first. Keep an eye out for any baddies. Then Bubba. Then Jake. Cake and I will go last."

Gumball glances over at the zombie in the corner, which is suddenly silent and watching the group with suspicious eyes. "What about Marcy?"

Fiona's eyes flick from him to her. "She's already dead. It'll be fine." She helps her brother up, as she does, she whispers at him, "Keep Gummy alive. No matter what cost. Understand?"

He simply nods and climbs into the air vent. Fiona then helps Bubba and Jake into the vent. Slowly she turns to face Cake. Her friend keeps glancing at the zombie in the corner.

"She's too quiet. She knows something."

"It's dead. It doesn't know anything, Cake."

"You underestimate them. They're brainless idiots, but they can get what they want." Cake turns back to her friend, only to find the tomboy glaring at her. "What?"

Fiona takes a step forward, twirling her knife in her hands slowly. The zombies pound relentlessly. Cake thinks she hears something crack. Marceline snaps out of her observing trance and starts to thrash about wildly.

The younger girls starts to shake in fear, not sure which she hates more, the zombie threatening to escape, or the friend suddenly looking as vicious as the undead.

"Cake." Fiona clicks her tounge, her eyes slowly looking down to meet her friend's, "You have ten seconds to figure out why I'm about to do what I gonna to do."

"_What?_" The cat-lover stares in horror, her eyes finding the sharp blade in Fi's hand. "You're going to kill me? Why?"

"Ten." Fiona says simply.

"I- I don't understand. Why- why would you-"

"Nine."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Eight."

"You're mad at me. I can get that. What'd I do? I'll stop. I'll apologize. I'm sorry!" She was blabbering now. No closer to the answer than before.

Fiona swings the blade at her friend, just barely scraping off a hair on top of her head. "Seven. C'mon, Cake. Where's your weapons?"

"They- they all broke."

"Caught defenseless, how pathetic. I thought you'd put up more of a fight." Fiona jabs her knife forward, again just missing the other. She's teasing the other. They both know it. "Six."

"Y-you're joking right? You don't have my name. You couldn't." Cake says, lowering her hands, chuckling nervously, "You got me. Haha, that was funny. Now let's catch up with the others."

"Five."

"Stop it. That's not funny anymore. Let's just go." She says angrily, her hands balling in fists.

"Four. You have something I want. And I have something you won't like." Fiona's hand slips in her pocket and pulls out a small piece slightly crumpled of paper.

Her eyes widen in horror as she stares at the paper. Written on it, in messy writing is a word written on it.

Cake

Fiona drops the paper by their feet, "Three."

"You want my paper?" Cake asks in sudden realization, "Why? I don't have Finn or anything. It's okay. I won't hurt you or your brother."

"I know. You won't be able to harm either of us. You don't have a weapon. Two, by the way." Fiona smiles sadly, "I really don't want to do this. But I need the name you have. I'm sorry."

Cake was crying now, tears rolling down her face. Suddenly there were no zombies outside. There wasn't a monster in the corner of the room. It was just her and Fiona. "Fi, please, please don't do this. Please let me go! We can work this out. We can- we can wait til this is all over."

"It won't be over until I do this. Cake, don't you see?" Her voice grows to a whine. "I have to. I'm sorry."

Cake closes her eyes, sobbing quietly, "O-okay." Her voice wobbles as her body tenses, waiting for the pain.

Fiona can't see her friend anymore, her vision is too blurred by her tears. She quickly forces her knife into her friend's heart. She feels the blade rip through her muscles, tearing them apart in a mess of blood. The red liquid spills down her wound, splattering on the floor. Fiona yanks the dagger out of Cake, backing up slightly.

Cake cries out in agony, her knees shaking, she falls to the floor. Her hand clutches her chest, only causing her wound to rip more. She slumps even more, now laying on the floor completely, gasping for air in short breaths.

Her eyes slowly trail up to the paper resting just left of her head. Laying on the floor, her paper. Slowly letters begin to form on the crumpled, bloody mess. The last thing she sees is the paper. Her paper. Her name. Her vision fades, and finally Cake's heart stops.

Cake

Deceased

Fiona watches the entire ordeal, choking back sobs as her best friend dies before her. She quickly finds her new paper in Cake's pocket. She looks back at the cat-loving girl below her. Slowly, she presses a kiss against her friend's forehead.

The tomboy jumps on top of the desk. Marceline screeches, catching Fiona's attention. The two stare at each other for a moment, unmoving. Both only see a monster before them. Fiona growls at the zombie, "Don't you judge me! You're dead! You- you! Shut up!"

The girl then climbs through the air vent. Searching to find her friends. The only sound was the echoing of her hands and knees as she crawls and the sound of her own heart breaking.


	4. Chapter 4

Marshall only stops running when he finds an empty class room. He scrambles inside and closes the door. He locks it, and then drags a desk in front of it. Only then does his pounding heart calm.

He slides down to the floor, resting his back on the desk as he catches his breath. He looks around the classroom. The lights flicker ominously, desks and books are scattered and thrown about the room. Two large windows sit high on the wall, boarded up and locked away from the outside world.

Marshall pulls the paper he took from Bonnie. Shaky fingers unfold it. He sighs when he sees the name scrawled across it.

Jake

Marshall hisses angrily. This was the name that Flame boy had. Marshall could tell because the sides were burned slightly. The pyromaniac probably took a lighter to it. And Marcy killed him, she texted him about it before she died. Which means Bonnie had Marcy's name. She killed her. She killed his sister.

Marshall furiously stormed across the room and threw a chair at the wall. He couldn't believe he was so stupid. Of course Bonnie could get away with killing Marcy. They're best friends. They'd never expect the other to…. To do that.

He should've known. He should've warned her.

Only then did he notice the moistness of his cheek and his uneven breathes. His hand touched his face and pulled away wet. He was crying.

Furiously, Marshall scrubbed the tears away from his face. He sighed, dropped the textbook he was going to throw, and began to clear his mind. He wouldn't be any help if he couldn't think properly.

The gothic boy paced about the room, deciding what to do next. He could always face those zombies. Just give up. But then who would protect Bubba? The sissy wouldn't be able to harm anyone. He'd go next.

That thought made Marshall's heart hurt. He rubbed his face, groaning. He had to find Bubba. He had to save him. He couldn't let him die like he did with Marcy.

Yes, that will be his next mission. Find Gummy.

Marshall wasn't sure how long he stayed in that room. He found some old tape in the pile of rubble and taped one of his weapons to his wrist, its pointed tip just barely grazing his palm. Proud with his strategic idea, he jabbed the air a bit. Yeah, this'll work.

Just as he was about to head to the door to sneak out, he heard a steady thumping noise.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

He frowned and searched for what could be making that noise. His eyes lifted to the ceiling. It was coming from the air vents. Panic sets in quickly.

_It's the zombies._

_They learned to climb in the vents._

_They're going to kill me._

Marshall braced himself, holding one weapon in one hand and the other taped to his wrist. He held his breath, eyes wide, as he waited for something to happen.

The thumping grew closer until it stopped.

There was a second of silence.

Then all hell broke loose.

The thing that came tumbling from the ceiling crashed to the ground in a fury of cusses and shrieks. Marshall charged the figure, hoping to catch it off-guard. The person grabbed Marshall's arm and flipped him over a desk. He landed hard with a loud _'thwack' _and a groan.

"Oh shit! Marshall, I'm so sorry! I thought you were a monster!" A high-pitched voice said.

The boy moaned in pain in reply. Fiona slowly helped him up, rubbing his back gently. Once Marshall came to his senses he jumped back, keeping his distance from Fi.

"Where's the others?" He asked suspiciously. "You were with Bonnie's group of survivors, right? Where are they?"

"I lost them. But don't worry, Bubba's okay. I have Finn watching him." Fiona said, rubbing her lower back, as that's what she landed on when she fell.

"How did you lose them?" Marshall hissed, dropping his guard. "I told you to stay with Bubba!"

"I know. But we went through the vents and I had to stay behind to fight off some badies. They were gone by the time I went in the vent. I don't know where they went. But Finn's with them. They'll be fine."

Marshall sighed. "Alright. Fine." He picked up the weapon that flew out of his hand when Fiona flipped him. "That's fine. We'll just have to go find them."

"They'll eventually find us. This school isn't that big." Fiona said.

"How do you know they'll be looking for us?" Marshall asked, confused.

Fiona rolled her eyes, "Do the math. There's two of us, and three of them. at least two of them will have to find us."

Marshall nodded before catching the odd look in Fiona's eyes, "Wait, three? What happened to…?"

"Bonnie never came back. And the badies got Cake." Fiona said slowly, her eyes finding the floor very interesting.

Marshall snorted, "Badies, huh? Was that certain zombie that took Cake blonde?"

Fiona glared at him. "I had to. She had Finn's name."

Marshall nodded understandingly. "I'd do anything to get Marcy back." After a moment of silence, he added quietly, "Even kill her best friend."

Fiona's eyes widened, "Bonnie…?"

"Well, at least you're closer to being valedictorian." He says meekly.

Fiona's head fell, sighing loudly she mumbled, "We're all going to hell."

"Already there." Marshall said as he headed towards the door. He checked out the window before pushing the desk aside. "Ready to go greet the devil?" He glanced at the girl before him.

"Fuck yeah, dude. Let's go."

He grinned, pushing the door open. With a quick glance down the hall, they sprinted out into their possible doom.


End file.
